COMMUNICATION: How To Flirt, Start Conversations And Keep Them Going? What To Say After The First "Hello" | Page 6

BALANCING THE CONVERSATION When your intention is to build a real, interactive, conversation, to which both parties contribute, you should not be afraid to do more than your part at the start. Yet, it’s equally important to avoid personal interrogation. What you have to do is to ask the right questions, knowing things will then almost always flow nicely. When you meet new people, always try to keep the questions simple, fun and light hearted. The intention is to have a good conversation and get to know the person beyond what they do for a living. The best way to make somebody tell about his/her life, is to ask questions which will encourage them to talk about themselves in “an unusual, quirky way”. The best way to approach a conversation is to forget about flirting and seducing, but to see it as an opportunity to learn. If you find out that your conversation-partner is interested in playing cardgames, and you are not, then why not say 'Interesting - tell me, what makes playing card games so interesting or exciting for you, as I don't get it'. The purpose is not to argue the benefits of playing card games, but to have a passionate discussion about a subject that is of special interest to them. People are usually very quick when it comes to form an impression about somebody they meet. For instance: about a third of the speed dates are actually over within the first 30 seconds. In fact, 45 % of women and 22 % of men come to a decision within 30 seconds. If you get a good conversation going, you might check for an opportunity to continue the conversation elsewhere or at another time:    I’d love to talk a bit more with you about this subject, but my train is due any minute now. Can we meet again to continue this conversation? This is real fun, but I wonder if you are free to continue this conversation. Do you have to go somewhere right now? Would you like telling me a bit more about … over a warm cup of coffee?